Apricot Chicken “Cobb” Salad

This is a fully loaded Cobb-adjacent salad that is so full of flavor it’s almost out of control. I would say this is my version of a Cobb, but it’s so much better because there are sweet elements with the apricot chicken, pickled red onions, and dates! It’s so good!!!!

Toppings
Makes about 4-6 salads

Pickled Red Onions
Apricot Chicken, shredded or chopped
3 ears grilled corn
2-3 romaine hearts, sliced thin
4-6 eggs, hardboiled
1 lb. bacon, chopped
Blue cheese crumbles
Dates, chopped

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic oil
1/2 cup mayo*
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, add olive oil, vinegar and salt and whisk until emulsified. Add in the mayonnaise and whisk again. Spoon onto salad and toss to coat- a little goes a long way.

*For the mayonnaise, I made homemade garlic basil mayonnaise (recipe below) but you can use regular mayo and it’ll still be delicious!

Garlic Basil Mayonnaise

1 room temp egg
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
11-ish roasted garlic cloves
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Big pinch of salt
1 cup safflower oil

In a container wide enough to fit an immersion blender, add the egg, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic cloves, basil, and salt and then pour the safflower oil in the container and let it sit for a minute or two to settle. Then, stick your immersion blender at the bottom of the container and turn it on and leave it at the bottom until it starts to emulsify and then slowly move the blender up & down until it’s creamy.